Patch management has become a significant issue for all PC users. Generally, all users can relate to pop-ups and warnings that indicate the downloading of a “patch”, such as a software update, as might originate from one's internet service provider or another entity. Patch management is also common in corporate contexts, where a corporate IT (information technology) department will frequently send patches to individual desktops for download. Of course, the annoyance factor for a typical user is often quite significant as delays associated with patch downloads can interfere with one's work.
“Road warriors”, or corporate individuals who find themselves traveling a great deal with a portable PC such as a laptop, find patch management to present problems on different levels. For one thing, road warriors might not have access to high-bandwidth connections which would make patch management a more feasible or accessible procedure; in some contexts lacking high-bandwidth connections patch management downloads might not even be attainable or, if they are, might come through only at a considerably slow transmission rate. On the other hand, because of the transient nature of road warriors' connections to any network, the time windows for even accepting a patch management download might be severely limited. It would thus often oblige them to ignore, deflect or reject patch management downloads when possible so that the limited time during which they may be connected is not monopolized by cumbersome download procedures. Similar challenges of course often present themselves to users in non-corporate contexts involving a great deal of travel and/or transient computer usage, so the term “road warrior” need not necessarily be construed to apply to the corporate context just described.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060190938 (Lenovo) discloses a procedure for pre-emptively rejecting patch management downloads by way of an “away” button which communicates to external sources that the user will be “away” from the machine for a period of time. However, this solution essentially requires the user to be keenly knowledgeable of the away button function and highly diligent in using it. Thus, one who has not had time to become well-versed in such a function or cannot find the time to adequately manage its use will not get the most productive use out of the function.
Accordingly, a compelling need has been recognized in connection with providing a more user-friendly and efficient arrangement for pre-emptively rejecting patch management downloads in road warrior (and analogous) contexts.